Game Preview: Islanders at Sabres

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (7-4-3) AT BUFFALO SABRES (4-5-2)
7PM | KEYBANK CENTER
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After a decisive 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night, the New York Islanders look to sweep their back-to-back set when the teams rematch on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center.
Anders Lee, JG Pageau and Brock Nelson scored for the Islanders, who set a franchise record by holding the Sabres without a shot for the third period. Josh Bailey had two assists in the win, as the Islanders extended their point streak to seven games (4-0-3).
The Islanders will be looking for their fifth straight win over the Sabres, something they last did in 2002-2004 (seven straight wins).

ISLANDERS NOTES:

- UPDATE: Anthony Beauvillier will return to the lineup against the Sabres on Tuesday night. Beauvillier has been out since Jan. 24 with a lower-body injury. Head Coach Barry Trotz said he plans to work Beauvillier in on Brock Nelson's line, as well as JG Pageau's. The coach did not specify who would come out of the lineup.
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- Monday marked the first time in the Islanders' 3,746-game history the Islanders held a team without a shot on goal for an entire period. The Islanders held the Sabres without a shot for the final 23:06 of the game.
- Mathew Barzal extended his career-long point streak to nine games with an assist on Monday night. Barzal has 11 points (4G, 7A) on his nine-game run, two games longer than his previous career-high.
- JG Pageau extended his goal-scoring streak to three games with a first period tally on Monday night. Pageau's goal was a beauty, as the center went over the shoulder short side on Linus Ullmark. The goal was Pageau's fourth in his past three games, as Head Coach Barry Trotz said the center has regained his edge and is looking closer to his playoff form from over the summer.
- Brock Nelson busted out of a nine-goal goal drought on Monday night, redirecting a power-play goal in the second period. Nelson's goal was his third of the season and first since Jan. 21 vs New Jersey. Nelson is currently riding a two-game point streak and recorded his 300th career point on Saturday with an assist vs the Penguins.
- The Islanders power play scored for a third-straight game on Monday night. The Islanders went 1-for-2 with the man advantage and are 4-for-6 in their past five games. Monday also marked the first time the Islanders generated more than one power-play opportunity over that span.
- Semyon Varlamov stopped 20-of-21 in the win. Ilya Sorokin could see action on Tuesday on the second night of a back-to-back set. If Sorokin plays, it'll be the Russian's first action since a 4-3 OT loss on Jan. 31 in Philadelphia. Sorokin is 0-2-1 with a 3.65 GAA and a .871 SV%.
- Anthony Beauvillier is close to returning for the Islanders, Trotz told reporters ahead of Monday's game. Check back for Beauvillier's status on Tuesday. The Islanders forward has been out since Jan. 24 with a lower-body injury.

Video: NYI vs BUF: Barry Trotz

SABRES NOTES:

• Buffalo returned to action for the first time in two weeks on Monday, as the Sabres were forced to postpone games due to COVID protocols. The 14-day break was the fifth-longest in team history and first break of such length not related to the Olympics.
  While the team was deemed ready to play by the NHL, the Sabres were not at full strength, with seven players: Dylan Cozens; Curtis Lazar; Jake McCabe; Casey Mittelstadt; Brandon Montour and Rasmus Ristolainen still on the COVID protocol list.
  UPDATE: McCabe and Montour are both cleared to play tonight, but Ralph Kruger did not reveal his lineup. Lazar and Cozens had rehab skates on Tuesday.
  Defensemen Brandon Davidson and William Borgen made their season debuts on Monday night, playing as a d-pair for the Sabres. Davidson played 15 games for the Islanders in the 2017-18 season and spent the past two seasons in the Chicago and Calgary organizations. Steven Fogarty also made his season debut.
  - Victor Olofsson extended his point streak to seven games on Monday night, netting a power-play goal in the first period. Olofsson has eight points (3G, 5A) over that span and leaads the Sabres with five goals this season. Since making his NHL debut on March 28, 2019, Olofsson's 17 power-play goals are third in the NHL over than span, trailing David Pastrnak (22) and Leon Draisaitl (20).
  - With a power-play goal, the Sabres have scored on the man advantage in six straight games. Buffalo is 10-for-24 (41.6%) over that span.
  - Jeff Skinner played on the Sabres top line on Monday night, skating alongside Jack Eichel and Olofsson. Skinner has one assist in 11 games this season.